Giants Release Najee Harris Days After Backfield Complaint, Reshaping NYG Rushing Props Ahead of Texans

The New York Giants are releasing running back Najee Harris, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, two days after the veteran started Sunday’s loss to the Saints and then publicly questioned how the team was splitting carries. Harris had four rushes for two yards in the 34-27 defeat, and the move reshapes a backfield that was already the most unsettled part of a first-place team.

Harris, 28, signed with the Giants on Aug. 18, when the club released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in a corresponding move. He was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 and spent four seasons there before signing with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he suffered a torn Achilles. New York was his third NFL stop, and it lasted only five games.

Frustration Over the Rotation Ends in a Release

Harris was expected to take on a bigger role against New Orleans after Cam Skattebo’s fumble problems, including a costly one late in overtime of the Week 5 tie with Washington. Instead, the Giants rotated four backs. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had six carries for 18 yards and a touchdown, Devin Singletary had four for 14 yards, and Skattebo did not get a single rushing attempt. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who entered in the fourth quarter, led the team with 26 yards on two carries.

After the game, Harris said it was difficult for anyone to find a rhythm when a back gets one or two plays and then sits out a series. He added that it was not directed at the coaching staff and that he had never been through anything like it. Head coach John Harbaugh said Monday that he understood the frustration but that rhythm has to be earned, urging his backs to make the most of their chances and to do something with them. Harbaugh also said Sunday that he does not like splitting snaps among four backs but that nobody has taken control of the job.

For the season, Harris finished with 31 carries for 99 yards, an average of 3.2 yards per attempt, in five games with one start. He was on a one-year contract worth $1.215 million. Skattebo remains the team’s leading rusher with 294 yards and one touchdown on 81 carries, an average of 3.6 per attempt. The Giants now have Skattebo, Tracy and Singletary at running back, and the team is expected to add another back in the near future.

What It Means for the Betting Market

The timing matters because the Giants, at 3-2-1, lead the NFC East but are not priced that way. BetMGM listed New York at +225 to win the division in recent days, behind Dallas at +120 and ahead of Washington at +500 and Philadelphia at +550. Kalshi’s market had the Giants at 29 percent for the division title on Tuesday. Releasing a backup over a locker room comment does not move a futures price by itself, but it adds to the volatility around an offense that has struggled to run the ball.

Next up is a Week 7 trip to Houston on Sunday, Oct. 25, and the market is not giving the Giants much respect. The Texans are favored by roughly 9 to 10 points depending on the book, with a total between 42.5 and 43.5. Moneylines have sat around Texans -450 to -520 and Giants +340 to +390. Houston has won two straight after dropping its first four games.

The player prop board is where the release could matter most. With Harris gone, the carries are split among three backs rather than four, and Harbaugh’s comments suggest the job belongs to whoever grabs it. Skattebo carried 13 times for 59 yards in the Week 5 tie, but his workload is hard to predict after he went without a rushing attempt on Sunday. One preview framed a Skattebo rushing attempts line at 15.5, a number that depends heavily on game script. A double-digit road underdog is more likely to be throwing in the second half than running, which tends to cap volume for every back on the roster.

Bettors weighing Giants rushing props should treat the situation cautiously until the depth chart settles. Tracy scored Sunday on six carries, Singletary is a veteran option, and Skattebo may get a chance to reclaim the lead role if he protects the football. Any new addition at the position could muddy the split further, and the team-level run-game picture against Houston remains the more reliable way to read this matchup.

Harris will be free to sign elsewhere once he clears waivers, and a team short on running back depth could give him another look. For New York, the takeaway is that in a backfield with no clear leader, public complaints about touches carry a cost, and the Giants head to Houston still searching for one back to separate himself.